Ghali Umar Na’Abba, former speaker of the house of representatives, says many northerners see President Muhammadu Buhari’s term in office as wasted opportunity.

Speaking when he appeared as a guest on Daily Politics, a programme on Daily Trust television, Na’Abba said most people in the north are opposed to the zoning of the presidency because they have not benefited from Buhari’s administration.

The former speaker also said Buhari is “highly opinionated” and runs the country without appropriate consultations.

“It is not as if northerners and southerners are at war, but in any relationship from time to time, you get some friction. This friction arises from certain reasons,” he said.

“The perception that the current president is against southerners has become a reality. I think he is not managing this country in a way that accommodates politics; even in the north, there are complaints about him.

“You cannot run a country in a manner that suggests you are highly opinionated. And this opinionation has nothing to do with the people. If it has to do with the people and their welfare, and their feelings — I think it’s ok.

“People in the south have this perception that he is a tribalist… he can’t even manage the country. Someone told me that this man can’t even manage his home, how can he manage a country?

“This idea of zoning, no matter how many times a president comes from a particular zone, it will never satisfy anybody. For example, within the north today, the idea of many people that the presidency must shift to another region is not a welcome idea because the feeling of many people is that the years of this president is a waste. They’ve not gained anything from it. So, why should anybody even talk to them about zoning? When they believe they have the numerical strength to elect another person.

“No consultation. Since he suggests that, he works alone. We become president or whatever not because we have the monopoly of wisdom. Nobody has it”.

Na’Abba said for the country to be better, it must focus on building strong institutions and not strong men.

he can’t even manage the country. Someone told me that this man can’t even manage his home, how can he manage a country?

Jflex07:
Lol.. These Islamabad's thinks southerners are fools... Buhari may be a dullard, but his govermnt has favoured the northerners both directly and indirectly.. Nonsense statement.

mrvitalis:

If the south can't come together and support Igbo presidency the north can keep it and the north is aware of this big time

mrvitalis:

If the south can't come together and support Igbo presidency the north can keep it and the north is aware of this big time

Jflex07:
Enough of this igbo presidency talk.. To me I don't actually care though but the north must not be allowed another term in office after the mannequin.

mrvitalis:

If the south can't come together and support Igbo presidency the north can keep it and the north is aware of this big time

BeeBeeOoh:


https://www.thecable.ng/naabba-northerners-against-zoning-because-they-see-buharis-term-as-a-waste

AsomughaChuks05:
The one-way appointments that have totally favoured northerners is waste too? NNPC, NPA, Customs, all monopolized by northerners enjoying Buhari's bigotry. Building the largest Navy base in the middle of the desert in Kano is waste? What of the building of Transport University in Daura where camels is the most popular means of transport? Protecting killer Fulani herdsmen to slaughter other Nigerians, and so much more. What else did Buhari not do for these greedy northerners?

omoharry:
Igbo should be united first .. are you guys even united ?

Jflex07:
Enough of this igbo presidency talk.. To me I don't actually care though but the north must not be allowed another term in office after the mannequin.

omoharry:
Igbo should be united first .. are you guys even united ?

edmaraja:

All this one is story, since this democracy started in 1999, the south east is the only region that has not produced a president so if we are talking of fairness in zoning then it should go to the east otherwise the zoning is useless and should be discarded. What's the difference between what the north is trying to do and what the south west is doing? The south west had eight years, the south south had six years and the south east zero. So on what basis is the south west saying that it should be zoned to them again? If we want zoning then let the zoning be fair or we can as well get rid of the zoning all together.

omoharry:
Igbo should be united first .. are you guys even united ?

mrvitalis:

If the south can't come together and support Igbo presidency the north can keep it and the north is aware of this big time

Jflex07:
Enough of this igbo presidency talk.. To me I don't actually care though but the north must not be allowed another term in office after the mannequin.

Jflex07:
Enough of this igbo presidency talk.. To me I don't actually care though but the north must not be allowed another term in office after the mannequin.

omoharry:
Igbo should be united first .. are you guys even united ?